1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for installing conduit in a ground. More particularly, the present relates to a vibratory plow for installing the conduit in a ground with little disturbance to a surface of the ground.
2. Description of Related Art
Note that the following discussion refers to a number of publications by author(s) and year of publication, and that due to recent publication dates certain publications are not to be considered as prior art vis-à-vis the present invention. Discussion of such publications herein is given for more complete background and is not to be construed as an admission that such publications are prior art for patentability determination purposes.
Traditional vibratory plows that lay cable or flexible pipe generally result in substantial ground disturbance. Current designs also require significant power in order to force the plow blade through the ground. These types of vibratory plows are also disadvantageously very expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,554 to Kinnan, entitled “Cable-Laying Apparatus”, issued Jul. 30, 1968, discloses a cutting wheel and a blade to facilitate ground penetration and a hydraulic motor operatively coupled with the cutting wheel to impart vibratory motion thereto. Kinnan discloses a cable guide through which a cable is drawn and secured.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,810 to Ulrich, entitled “Slit Trenching and Cable Laying Device”, issued Apr. 27, 1976, discloses a slit trenching and cable laying plow and a means for imparting a motion to the plow, forcing one side and then another side of the plow out of contact with the trench sides for reducing surface contact and resultant drag. A cover up wheel closes trenches. A separate hydraulic motor is powered by the tractor that powers the digging apart from powering the movement of the tractor, including features that permit the device to be easily driven by a low horsepower source.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,006 to Rugroden et al., entitled “Underground Cable Laying Apparatus”, issued Apr. 13, 1971, discloses a blade member that is approximately 5′ long, 8″ wide and 1.25″ thick and a vibrator secured to the blade member to substantially vibrate only the blade member, the remaining structure being isolated. Rugroden et al. also disclose a cable guide formed from a U-shaped channel member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,982 to Golobay, entitled “Vibratory Plow”, issued May 9, 1978, discloses a generally vertical elongated plow blade and a vibrator or shaker supported on the frame assembly. Golobay also discloses a cable supported on a drum that is received over suitable reels to a cable chute on the rear of the plow assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,747,357 to Erickson et al., entitled “Vehicle for Underground Installation of Flexible Utility Lines and the Like”, issued Jul. 24, 1973, discloses a plow assembly that includes a vertical plow blade and a plow blade shaker carried on the frame that acts to impart a purely vertical vibration to the vertical plow blade. A pair of ground wheels are journalled on the tamping wheel frame and a cable reel carrier is mounted on the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,693 to Nelkin et al., entitled “Apparatus for Laying Underground Cable”, issued Oct. 24, 1972, discloses a plow blade with extruding auxiliary plow blades and a commercially available vibrator unit secured to the plow assembly. The compacter blade responds to the vibrating action of the plow blade by compacting the soil immediately adjacent to the cable. The cable extends upwardly through the bottom of the plow blade and is fed from a cable reel which may be carried on the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,693 to Schuermann, entitled “Cable Feed Assembly for Use With a Vibratory Plow”, issued Aug. 13, 1991, discloses a vertically extending plow blade or shank and an oscillatory motion developing assembly. An appositive drive for a cable is fed through a cable guide structure, with the powered assist to the cable helping to assure a positive, relatively even feed and controlled advance of the cable.
There is thus a need for a vibratory plow that is lightweight and provides minimal ground disturbance when conduits are installed. While drip irrigation has been shown to reduce water consumption in many crops, including turf, change from a traditional sprinkler system to a drip system in short mown grass is not addressed adequately by existing technologies that utilize hand or heavy tractor trenching. Current technology consists of heavy machinery to install conduits underground, without considering disruption to the existing turf grass area.